1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a technology for devices that feed a recording medium relative to a head part on which a plurality of nozzles are aligned in the feed direction of the recording medium, and eject a fluid from nozzles while the medium is fed.
2. Background Technology
For example, ink-jet recording devices are known fluid ejection devices in which ink droplets (fluid) are ejected from an ink jet recording head in accordance with recording data as the recording medium travels in the feed direction. With ink jet recording heads, however, because of the relationship whereby the ink is ejected from the nozzle openings as a result of being pressurized in a pressure generation chamber, there is the potential for increase in ink viscosity or solidification of the ink due to evaporation of solvent from the nozzle opening, as well as attachment of dirt to the nozzles, or ingress of air bubbles, leading to nozzle clogging. For this reason, with ink jet recording devices, the surface formed by the nozzles on the ink jet recording head is sealed by capping unit in non-printing regions, ink is suctioned and ejected by a suction pump in this capping unit, and the surface of the recording head formed by the nozzle is wiped by wiping unit, thereby being cleaned. In addition, with ink jet recording devices, flushing (air ejection operation) is carried out whereby ink is ejected from the nozzle openings in a non-printing region (flushing region).
For example, with the flushing device described in patent document 1, the sprayed fluid constituent components pass through an opening part of the main unit and temporarily accumulate in an accumulation part. The accumulated fluid constituent components are eliminated from the accumulation part with a removal part for moving the accumulation part with respect to the main unit, and the accumulated material falls down and is retained in a retaining part. In addition, with the fluid ejected device of patent document 2, a pressure generation element operates when it is determined that a nonuniform increase in viscosity has occurred in the fluid in the vicinity of the meniscus of the nozzle opening. Tiny changes in pressure are thus made to occur in the fluid inside the pressure generation chamber, causing tiny oscillations in the fluid in the vicinity of the meniscus. After causing these tiny oscillations, the pressure generation element is made to operate, thereby performing flushing.
Japanese Patent Registration Nos. 4461811 (Patent Citation 1) and 4452432 are examples of the related art.